Introduction
2022 marks the first decrease in deaths since 2019. Deaths decreased 2% in 2022 following an 11% increase in 2021 and an 8% increase in 2020. In 2022, 46,027 people died in motor-vehicle crashes compared to 46,980 in 2021 and 42,338 in 2020.
Between 1913 and 2022 motor-vehicle deaths per 10,000 registered vehicles decreased 95%, from 33 to 1.50, respectively. In 1913, only 1.3 million vehicles were registered, and 4,200 people died on the road. In 2022, 283 million vehicles were registered, and 46,027 people died on the road.
In 2022 (compared to 2021), miles traveled increased 1.8%, the number of registered vehicles increased 0.4%, and the population grew 0.4%. As a result, the mileage death rate decreased 3.6%, the vehicle death rate decreased 2.0%, and the population death rate decreased 2.8%.
Medically consulted injuries in motor-vehicle incidents totaled 5.2 million in 2022, and total motor-vehicle injury costs were estimated at $481.2 billion. Costs include wage and productivity losses, medical expenses, administrative expenses, motor-vehicle property damage, and employer costs.
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- Data Table
Compared to 2013, 2022 motor-vehicle deaths increased by 30% while the mileage death rate increased by 13% and the vehicle registration death rate increased 9%.
2022 Motor-vehicle Crash Highlights
| Deaths | 46,027 |
| Medically consulted injuries | 5.2 million |
| Cost | $481.2 billion |
| Motor-vehicle mileage | 3,196 billion |
| Registered vehicles in the United States | 283 million |
| Licensed drivers in the United States | 235 million |
| Death rate per 100 million vehicle miles | 1.44 |
| Death rate per 10,000 registered vehicles | 1.62 |
| Death rate per 100,000 population | 13.81 |
The National Safety Council (NSC) and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) count motor-vehicle crash deaths using somewhat different criteria. NSC counts total motor-vehicle-related fatalities (both traffic and non-traffic) that occur within one year of the crash. This is consistent with the data compiled from death certificates by the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS). NSC uses NCHS death certificate data, less intentional fatalities, as the final count of unintentional deaths from all causes.
Motor-vehicle Crash Outcomes, United States, 2022
NSC estimates:
| Severity | Deaths or injuries | Crashes | Drivers (vehicles) involved |
| Total Motor Vehicle (deaths within 1 year) | 46,027 | 42,500 | 65,100 |
| Medically consulted injury | 5,200,000 | 3,600,000 | 6,600,000 |
| Property damage (including unreported) and non-disabling injury | – | 9,200,000 | 16,100,000 |
| Total | – | 12,800,000 | 22,800,000 |
NHTSA estimates:
| Severity | Deaths or injuries | Crashes | Drivers (vehicles) involved |
| Traffic (deaths within 30 days) | 42,514 | 39,221 | 60,048 |
| Injury (disabling and non-disabling) | 2,383,000 | 1,665,000 | 3,046,000 |
| Police-reported property damage | 4,227,000 | 7,397,000 | |
| Total | 5,931,000 | 10,503,000 |
Source: NHTSA for deaths, injuries, and crashes in bottom half of table. All other figures are NSC estimates.